


9) Surprise!

by Iarollane



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Birthday Cake, Birthday Party, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:01:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21867187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iarollane/pseuds/Iarollane
Summary: Shenanigans ensue when the Ambassador figures out it's Lashanna's birthday.
Relationships: Female Inquisitor & Solas
Kudos: 2
Collections: Fulfilled prompts from various people





	9) Surprise!

**Author's Note:**

> Really this was my obligatory 'Solas with frilly cakes' dabble. It has some light sexual theme towards the end.

**Prompt** : "There's a certain taste to it."

==

Josie had, somehow, heard it was my birthday.

I'd done the math. Back home, I'd have turned twenty-five a few days ago. I'm not really sure what that means for me here in Thedas, but regardless, I've spent a quarter of a century alive. Quite the accomplishment, right?

I immediately vetoed Josie's idea of a big lavish party involving all of Skyhold, including the dignitaries of course. It would have undoubtedly lasted all night long and given her an opportunity to soften up some of the harder cases.

"If you decide to throw that party, I'm leaving for the Fallow Mire," I told her in no uncertain terms. "I'm sure there's still things to find in the muck."

She finally agreed to no gala. "But we must celebrate somehow," she argued.

"Why?"

"Because you risk your life every day." She crossed her arms. "It would be a way to reaffirm to yourself and everyone else that you're still here, even after everything. Everyone would appreciate an opportunity to relax and enjoy themselves."

I tapped my fingers on her desk, thinking. "Okay, maybe. But only a small thing. In my rooms, say?" That should work to limit how many people she could invite. "Fine," I sighed. "When did you want to do this?"

"Oh, we can work out the details later," she said. "It might take time to get everything ready." A shrewd look crossed her face. "We'll have to decide on what food to serve. And of course, there must be a cake," she suggested.

"And I'm sure you have exactly the Baker and design in mind already," I said dryly.

She smiled, like a cat in the creamery. "I might have an idea or two in that direction."

I nodded, my mind already on other things. "Sounds good, Josie."

==

* _late that same day_ *

**_"Surprise!"_ **

I staggered at the sight and sound of- oh gods, there must be more than fifty people! It nearly tossed me back down the stairs.

Laughing, Josie came to me with her arms outstretched. "Whaa-," is about all I could say as she gave me a hug.

Faelyn was next, a big goofy grin splitting his face. "Happy Birthday, _asa'ma'lin_!" he crowed, squeezing me tight around my middle. I started laughing as more people came up to offer their own birthday wishes.

Half an hour later I found myself by my desk. All of the papers had been cleared away, and the grumpy bartender from The Herald's Rest was using it as his impromptu bar. He slid me a mug, saying, "Birthday wishes and all that. Here's a free drink. One night only. Don't go expecting it all the time."

I raised it in mock salute, then took a big swig. I wandered over to the table someone had set up with finger foods. Tamra chirped "Happy Birthday!" and handed me a small plate with a slice of lemon cream cake. "Where has all this been hiding?" I asked her incredulously.

She hid a sly smile, saying, "Your wardrobe. Since you hate going in there, and you're rarely in your rooms during the day, it was the perfect place to put everything."

"Sneak," I said good naturedly, and took a small bite of the cake. It melted in my mouth, tasting just like my mom had made when I was little. "How did you guys **do** all of this?" I mumbled, shoving more cake into my face.

"It was that strange young man. Cole?" Leliana's soft voice came from behind me. Tamra excused herself. "He came to Josie while we were having tea, about how you were year older than you'd been the day before, but it somehow made you sad." She shrugged one shoulder. "Once we were able to make sense of what he was talking about, all Josie could talk about was throwing you a party."

"But she just asked me about it today!"

"And you're welcome for that," she said cheekily. "It took a lot of convincing on my part for her to even mention the possibility to you. She's been planning this for a week, using Cole to figure out what you'd like, but I told her there was a chance you wouldn't want to celebrate at all. Why else wouldn't you have told anyone about your birthday." She raised an eyebrow at me, turning it into a question. I hurriedly stuffed another piece of cake in my mouth so that I wouldn't have to answer. "'Asking' you today was our compromise, to ensure you truly wouldn't mind."

I put my plate down and gave her a hug. "Thank you for looking out for me," I told her. I noticed Solas slipping through the throngs of people to my bedroom door, a plate with a huge slice of cake in his hand. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go... mingle?"

Her eyes crinkled in amusement. "Don't do anything I would do!"

I grinned back. "There's no chantry board to pin smallclothes onto, so no worries there!"

Her startled laugh followed me to my door. I took another look at the party, marveling that everyone had gone through all this effort for me. When I pushed open the door, I didn't know what to expect. Why had Solas hidden in here?

I found him in the dark, with only a small fire burning in the fireplace. He was sitting at my secondary desk, eyes closed with a fork in his mouth. He opened his eyes when he heard me enter, and set down the fork. I could see a small bit of icing by the side of his mouth, and the plate was almost empty.

He stood. "Ma'da'mis. It seems an odd thing to celebrate, but I hope your twenty-fifth year is happier than any you've previously had."

I smiled at him as he wrapped his arms around me. "You don't celebrate birthdays, do you?"

His lips quirked. "Was it that obvious?" I giggled a little, nodding. "It's been a long time since I've noted any singular year as being significant," he explained. "But I think in this case, I'll make an exception. Especially if it means I get to indulge in vices like this." He nodded towards the remains of the cake.

"Yes, because frilly cakes are an incredibly serious vice," I said with mock sternness. "It's terrible, the way those cakes sneak up on you and leave evidence all over your face." Before he could react, I stood on my tiptoes, wrapped my arms around his neck for balance, and licked the icing off his mouth.

He raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at his lips. "And what is your verdict?" he asked.

"There's a certain taste to it," I said thoughtfully,

"Oh?"

I kissed him, savoring the taste of the lemon cream on his lips. "It's better on you," I said.

He grinned, tracing his fingers over my cheek. "I could say the same of you, Vhenan."


End file.
